Tube cleaner



March 7, 1933. RODGERS 1,900,130

TUBE CLEANER Filed Jan. 16, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 rigl.

27 423246 26 I I 3.5 INVENTOR 2 23 z 0 2.3 30 3/26 3/ 32 3/ a I,

March 7, 1933. J; p RODGERS 1,900,130

TUBE CLEANER Filed Jan. 16, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 26 ,E'Lg. Rs 32 Patented Mar. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JAMES P. RODGERS, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORTO ELLIOTT COMPANY,=. .1

OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION or PENNSYLVANIA TUBE CLEANER.

Application filed January 13, 1930. Serial no. 421,256.

The present invention relates broadly to V there may be provided an elongated cleaner the art of tube cleaning apparatus and more particularly to an improved form of cleaner for this purpose. 1 9

1 By my invention I provide an improved tube cleaner having pivotally mounted clean- 'ing elements adapted to swing outwardly due to centrifugal force and by a series of blows loosen the scale or deposit on the inside of thetube. j I I provide a tube cleaner of such a character that it has the advantage of simplicity and rigidity and is capable of ready and easy assembly. I also provide a means of limiting the outthrow of the cleaner carrier arms and for the close positioning ofthe cutters and carrier arms in reference to the head.

I further provide a simple and efficient means which serves a double function of holding the parts of the head together and attaching the head to a driving means.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown for purposes of illustration only one the line A-A of Fig.

embodiment of the present invention, it being understood that the drawings do not define the limits'of the invention as changes may be made in the construction and operation therein disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the broader claims." I Y In the drawings; I j Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the'cleaner showing the parts in assembled relationship and in operative position on a driving member- Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view along 6, looking in'the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cleaner element carrier arm with the cutters or cleaning elements located thereon;

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view on the line B-B of Fig. ,1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is-atransverse sectional view along the line C-0 of Fig. 1, lookingin the direction of the arrows a T Fig. 6 is a front end view of the tube cleaner as illustrated in Fig. 1; V c Fig. '7 is a rear end view of the cleaner as illustrated in Fig. 1.

fully discussed hereinafter.

vided with pivots 10 In accordance with the present invention head 2 of a generally triangular section. Im-

tion I call a spider, are-located integral shoulders 4 which are of a generally triangular section, the purpose offwhich will be more On one end of the head 2 is located an in tegral cutter or cleaning element carrier arm support or flange 5 having spaced openings 6 therein adapted to receive the pivots 10 of the carrier arms 11 and supportthem for swinglng movement. F

Near theother end of the head 2 and an integral part thereof and adjacent a shoulder 4: is located a square neck 12 which is adapted to receive and support a keeper 13 and position it with respect to the cutter arm support 5 and prevent relative rotation between the keeper and the head. The head 2 adjacent the neck 12' is further provided with a threaded section 14. for the reception of the nut 15 which holds'the keeper in place on the neck 12.

The nut 15 is of such a character that it not only serves to hold: the keeper 13 in place on the'neck 12 but also serves as a connection between the entire head 2 and the drive shaft 16 of the driving means, said drive shaft being provided with a threaded portion 17 adapted to fit into the threaded portion 18 of the nut. I

The keeper 13 is a plate having holes 19' spatially located therein for the reception of pivots 20 of the cutter arms 11, said openings being of such a character as to support the one end of each of'the arms 11 for swinging movement. The keeper is also provided with a centrally located square opening 21 adapted to receive the neck 12 and be supported thereby. The neck 12 and the opening 21 of the keeper are of such a character as to definitely locate the holes 19 of the keeper with respect to the holes 6 in the carrier arm support 5.

The cutter carrier arms 11 are each proand 20 located on opposite ends thereof and adapted to cooperate with the openings 6 and 19 respectively in the support 5 and the keeper 13. Each of the arms 11 is also provided with spaced projections 22 and 23 having openings 24 and 25 respectively located therein for the reception of a cutter pin 26. Each pin 26 has a forwardly converging enlargement 27 on the end thereof with the sides 28 cut 05 flat for reception of a wrench or other tool for the installation or removal of the pin.

Eachpin 26 is adapted to receive a generally conically shaped cleaning element or cutter 29 adapted to rotate thereon and to directly abut at one end against the shoulder caused by the enlargement 27 and at its opposite end engaging a washer 30 surrounding the pin. Each pin with its element 29 and washer 30 thereon is passed through an opening 24, and washers 31 and cutters 32 are alternately placed thereon. Each pin 26 has a threaded end 33 adapted to cooperate with the threaded portion 34 of one of the openingsf25 and hold the pin solidly in place in the carrier arm. The threaded end 33 of each pin 26 has a slot 35 therein for the reception of a tool for removing or installing the cutter pin and the cutters located thereon. As it will be noted in Fig. 3 of the drawings, the threaded ends of the pins 26 are protected from any abrasive action by the openings 25. As will he noted further, the whole of each pin 26, with the exception of the forwardly converging enlargement on the front end thereof, is protected from abrasive action. Each of the cutter arms 11 is provided with spaced projections 36 for cooperating with I the shoulders 4 for the purpose of limiting the arcuate distances through which the arms 11 travel in an outwardly direction. When the head is revolved the arms 11 are thrown outwardly and are limited in their outward movement by the integral shoulders 4 by the bearing of the projections 36 on the shoulders 4. This method of limiting the outward throw of the arms 11 is an important feature of my invention.

The spider 3, as stated hereinbefore, is of generally triangular section, and as is apport 5 or the keeper 13. This permits the parent from Figs. 5 and 6, is of a smaller cross-sectional area than the cutter arm supclose positioning of the cutters and cutter arms to the center of the head of the cleaner.

In the assembly of the improved, cleaner head which I provide, the pivots 10 of the arms 11 are inserted in the openings 6 in the 7 carrier arm support 5. The keeper then is ,tioned with respect to the support 5 in that moved forward onto the head, and due to the square neck 12 on the head and the square opening 21 in the keeper it is properly posithe holes 19 in the keeper are properly indexed with reference to the holes 6 in the carrier arm support. As the keeper is moved onto the neck 12, the openings 19 receive the pivots 20 of the arms 11 and support the adjacent ends thereof. The nut 15 is then placed on the threaded section 14 of the head, thereby affixing the keeper to the head. The nut 15 also receives the threaded section 17 of the drive shaft 16 which is used for the .rotation of the cleanerhead.

I claim:

1. In a tube cleaner, a head having a body portion, a cleaning element carrier having spaced projections thereon having openings therein receiving a pin for supporting a cleaning element, means on the head for supporting one end of the carrier for swinging movement, a demountable keeper, means on the head for receiving and positioning the keeper, means in the keeper for supporting the other. end of the carrier for swinging movement, a threaded section on one end of the head, means on the threaded section for keeper on the other end of the head adapted.

to support one end of the carrier arm for swinging movement. i

'3. In tube cleaning apparatus a plurality of cleaning elements, and a cleaning element 7 carrier arm having supporting pivots on each end thereof and having downwardly extending projections on each end having openings therein receiving a pm for supportmg the cleaning elements.

4. In tube cleaning apparatus, a pluralityv of cleaning elements, and a cleaning element carrier arm having pivots on each end thereof and having downwardly extending projections on each end having openings therein receiving a pin for supporting the cleaning elements, one of said openings being threaded to cooperate with a threaded portion of the pin. I I n I 5. In a tube cleaner, a head having a flange on one end thereof having a plurality of bear ings therein, a neck on the other end of the head, a keeper adapted to fit said neck and be supported thereon, said keeperhaving a plurality of bearings therein, a plurality of unitary cleaning element carrier arms, pivots on each end of the carrier arms, said pivots being adapted to cooperate with the bearings in the flange and the keeper for supporting the carrier arms and whereby the arms may be rotated on said pivots relative to the head.

6.. In a tube cleaner, a head having a flange on one end thereof and a neck portion on the other end, .a cleaning element carrier arm having a pivot at each end thereof, a de-.

mountable keeper adapted to fit on and be supported by said neck portion, and bearings in said keeper and said flange adapted. to receive said pivots and support the carrier 5 for swinging movement about said'pivots. I In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JAMES P. RODGERS. 

